Run for conservation of hornbills organised in Nagaland

Dimapur: With hornbills becoming nearly extinct in Nagaland and as part of the ongoing Hornbill Festival at Kisama, the Nagaland environment, forest and climate change department organised a six-km run named “Run for Hornbill: Against time” here on Monday morning.

The run that began at Green Park to create awareness in the minds of the people about the conservation of hornbills culminated at Zoological Park with a commitment to conserve the endangered bird species.

State environment, forest and climate change CL John flagged off the run that saw the participation of 219 runners that included both males and females.

Addressing the runners, John said though the Hornbill Festival has been celebrated for the last 24 years, no awareness has been created to conserve hornbills.

“Therefore, we have decided to organise the first-ever hornbill run to make people aware of the importance of conserving hornbills,” he said.

John asserted that the hornbill run will be held every year to push for the protection of hornbills.

In his address, commissioner and secretary of the environment, forest and climate change, Y Kikheto Sema lamented that no awareness has been initiated in the state for the protection of hornbills in the past.

He said the department organised the hornbill run for the first time in the state during the Hornbill Festival to create awareness for the protection of the hornbill.

“How can we celebrate Hornbill Festival without hornbill,” he asked.

Sema urged people not to use original hornbill feathers during any festivals or ceremonies and to plant trees where the bird can feed and nest.

Principal chief conservator of forest and head of Nagaland forest force Dharmendra Prasad said the run signified the efforts to take up the cause of nature.

“Through the run, we want to send a message to the people of Nagaland that we love nature and its conservation,” he added.

Noting that hornbill species are almost extinct in Nagaland, another principal chief conservation of forest and chief wildlife warden Vedpal Singh said only three hornbills were sighted in Nagaland in the last three to four years.

He said though there was no formal survey, the bird had almost disappeared from the state. Singh urged everyone to resolve to contribute to conserving hornbills.